Booklice Control in New Jersey

What Do Booklice Look Like?

Booklice are very tiny insects that are less than 1/16th of an inch long. The booklice is grey or light yellow with soft bodies and chewing mouthparts. This insect is part of the group of insects known as psocids. The booklice is uniquely shaped with a large head and even larger abdomen separated by a narrow thorax.

There are indoor booklice and outdoor booklice. The booklice found indoors are usually wingless while the outdoor booklice have wings and are usually found in the bark of trees or in bales of straw. These bugs actually resemble the lice that can be found on humans and animals. People also confuse them with bed bugs.  However, they are not parasites and do not bite or live on a live host.

Dangers Associated With Booklice

While booklice do not bite, they can become a real problem indoors. The females are capable of producing fertile eggs without ever mating. Populations of these insects can increase rapidly under ideal conditions. They thrive in warm, dark, damp environments and feed on microscopic mold or mildew. This, of course, can often be found in old, stored books. That old, musty smelling book that has been stored in your bedroom for some time is the perfect habitat for booklice—thus their common name. As with all household pests, it is important to be able to identify and control booklice. In addition to old books, they can be found on damp, musty furniture or carpet, in closets and even in cereal boxes and other similar items in your cupboards. Booklice can even be discovered to be roaming in your bed (thus why people confuse them with bed bugs).

Booklice Prevention Tips

Booklice do not bite or damage carpet, clothing or furniture. However, a heavy infestation of this insect can be offensive and will cause one to have them removed. An outbreak of booklice means there is a problem with moisture or mildew in the house. A good method of prevention is to remove any excess moisture and correct the source of moisture. Any leaking or sweating pipes should be repaired to eliminate any opportunity for mildew or mold. A dehumidifier or fan in damp rooms or basements will reduce the moisture in the home. Keep window shades open to allow sunlight in. A good goal is to reduce humidity levels to less than 50%.

How to Get Rid of Booklice

Good preventive booklice control methods can normally correct the booklice problem in your home. Nevertheless, a serious infestation can be difficult to control. Even though there are pesticides available to help in the removal of booklice, you should consider contacting your professional pest control company. ChemTec Pest Control services are swift and will successfully get rid of your booklice problem in NJ. Contact us today if you think you see booklice in your bed, kitchen cupboard, carpet, or furniture.